Print-drier



B. P. ENRIGHI.

PRINT DRIER.

APPLICATION r1150 MAY 20, 1921.

Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

12 SHEETS-SHEET I.

swam who B. P. ENRIGHT.

PRINT DRIER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 20, 1921.

1,400,273. Patented Dec. 1921.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BARNEY P. ENRIGHT, OF PERRY, OKLAHOMA.

PRINT DRIER A Application filed ma 20,

To (ZZZ whom itmag concern:

Be it known that I, BARNEY P. ENRIGHT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Perry, in the county of Noble and State of Qklahoma, have invented a new'and useful Print-Drier, of which the following is a specification.

it is the object of this invention to provide a simple means'whereby photographic printsand the like may be dried by the applioat-ionof heat, the prints being kept in motion during the drying process, and it being possible to dry a relatively large numher period of time The invention aims, further, to provide a simple means whereby photographic prints may be dried rapidly, either with a mat or with a glossy surface, the prints emerging from the machine dry, but not curled.

It is within the province of this disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to-which the invention appertains.

lVith the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention. resides in'the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that within the scope of what is claimed, changes in the precise embodiment of the invention shown can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 shows in side elevation, a device constructed in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section; and Fig. 3 is a fragmental section showing a portion of the feeding conveyer.

In carrying out the invention there is provided a frame 1 carrying side members on which bars 3 are held by brackets 4. An inclined table 5 extends between and is carried by the bars 3.

A main drum 6 is carried by a shaft 7 journaled for rotation in the frame 1. Any suitable means may be provided for rotating the shaft 7 and the drum 6. In the present instance, the shaft 7 is provlded with a worm wheel 8 coiiperating with a worm 9 on a vertical shaft 10 journaled on the frame 1, the shaft 10 being supplied at its lower end with a worm wheel 11 mesh- 95 ing into a Worm 12 on the shaft 14 of a mo.-

Specification of Letters Patent.

of prints in a comparatively short drum 27.

table 5 and passes between the rollers 35- Patented. Dec. 13, 1921.

1921. Serial No. 471,231.

tor 15 which may be operated electrically or otherwise.

Outer idlers 16 are journaled on the frame 1, inner-idlers 17 being journaled on the frame, the idlers l6 and 17 being disposed about the main drum 6. An idler 18 is mounted to rotate on the frame 1 between the inner idlers l7. Arms 19 depend from the frame 1 and carry a roller 20, the parts 19 and 20 constituting a belt tightener. A guide roller 21 is journaled on the side memhere 2, a guide roller 22 being mounted on the side members, outwardly of the roller 21.

The numeral 23 denotes braces, connected at their lower ends to the ends of the frame 1. Tie rods 24 are provided and are carried by depending arms 25 clamped to the side members 2. In the outer ends of the tie rods 24 and the braces 23, a shaft 26 is journaled, the shaft carrying an auxiliary drum 27. The tie rods 24 may be moved longitudinally by means of the arms 25, to constitute a belt tightener.

Standards 28 are erected on the side members 2 above the main drum 6, a shaft 29 being fixed in the upper ends of the standards. A drum 30 is mounted to rotate on the shaft 29. Any suitable means may be provided for heating the drum 30. If desired, the shaft 29 may be hollow and may be supplied with combustion orifices 31, the drum 30, under such circumstances, being gas-heated.

Supports 32 are carried by the side members 2, the supports being equipped at'their ends with slots 33 receiving the shafts 34 of an upper roller 35 and a lower roller 36. Compression springs 37 are mounted in the slots 33 and cause the rollers 35 and 36 to cooperate with each other. The rollers 35 and 36 may be provided with facings 38, made of rubber or the like. An absorbent belt 39 passes around the drum 30 and around the uppermost roller 35.

The numeral 40 denotes a feeding conveyer in the form of a belt. The belt or conveyer 40 is engaged around the auxiliary The conveyer 40 traverses the and 36, in driving relation to the belt 39. The conveyer 40 passes beneath the uppermost idler 17, around the drum 6, over the idler 18, over the roller 21, over the roller 22 and thence to the drum 27. The conveyer 40 preferably comprises a body 42 made of canvas or like material, thin metal retro-J10 type plates43 being connected, in spaced relation to each other, to the body 42', as in dicated in Fig. 3 of the drawings. Owing to the thinness of theplates L3 noatteinpt has been made to delineate them in the other figures.

is engaged with the drurn e. l travels in engagement with the conveyer The conveyer 4&1 is provided, the conveyer V 4L1 passing between the idler 18 and the guide roller 21 in contact with a portion of the conveyer 10. From the roller 21, the conveyer &1 extends around the roller 20 around the lowermost idler 17, around the lowermost idler 16 around the up ermost' l 7 L idler 16 and around the 11 per idler 17.

From the upper idler 17, the conveyer {l1 passes, in a bight, around, and in contact with, that portion of the conveyer 40 which The eonveyer 40, from the idler 18 to the roller 21, and, after the roller 21, the conveyers t0 and ll diverge, as will be understood readily from Fig. 2 of the drawings. v

In practical operation, the prints which are to be driedv are laid on the ferrotype plates 43 of the conveyer t0, while the conyeyer is traversing the table 5. If the prints are to have a highly burnished surface, they are laid face down on the plates 3-3,\\-'hereas if the prints are not to have a burnished suriace, they are laid race up on the plates as.

The conveyer 4C0 advances the prints along the table 5, and, ultimately, the plates come into contact with the belt 39. Here the inois- :ture is blotted off the prints to a large extent,

and, since the belt 39 is moving continually,

and because the said belt traverses the drum 30, the beltwill always be presented dry for engagement with the printsywhen the prints pass between the rollers and 86., From the rollers 35 and 36, the prints are advanced by the conveyer A0; and pass around the drum G, between portions of thebelts 4 :0 and ll; The prints travel with and between portrons of the belts until t (nude roller 21 is reached. t some point between the guide roller 21 andthe top of the drumQ'Z, the

prints drop oil the plates &3 or" the conveyer.

i0 or are removed therefrom, Gbviously while the prints ar belt; and means for operating the feeding conveyer.

:2. A print drier constructed as set forth in claim 1, and further characterized by the provision of a main drum around which the feeding conveyer extends; and third con veyer mounted to travel with the feeding conveyer as the feeding conveyer passes about the main drum. p 7

In testlrnony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aihxed my signature in the presence of twe witnesses.

I BARNEY P. ENR-IGHT.

, 1V itnesses:

G. A. FOSTER,'

GRADY DONLEY.

traveling about the drum 6 betweenport-ions of the-belts 4G and 

